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If the modern Germany had cast a shadow over many teams then none more so than Brazil, demolished in the Belo Horizonte four years ago but now a side looking more like the great tradition they are supposed to represent with the possibility that World Cup No 6 awaits.

The holders are out and there are none who will sniff the winds of change and fancy their chances more than the nation who have won more World Cups than any other. Against Serbia they eased up through the gears once again, letting Neymar do what Neymar does on the left wing and also finding other ways of winning this game through their little maestro Philippe Coutinho.

The former Liverpool man made the first goal for Paulinho and the second was nodded in by Thiago Silva, one of the survivors from that 2014 squad that lost to Germany, even if he was suspended for the 7-1 semi-final defeat. In that central defence department Brazil look solid, with Miranda having a fine game too and the only concern being in the full-back position, where they have had little good fortune with the fitness of key players. First Dani Alves was injured before the tournament, then Danilo, as well as the winger Douglas Costa, who may not play again at Russia 2018.

There are few as influential as their flying left-back Marcelo, of Real Madrid, and he too was in some distress with just ten minutes played. The Brazilian coach Tite said it was nothing more serious than a “back spasm” although Marcelo has to be replaced by Filipe Luis.

This is the team of Neymar, of course, in fact it seems to belong to him sometimes, the last man out the dressing room before the game, walking along the time of his team-mates in the tunnel like a general inspecting his troops. When he gets the ball on the left there is still that buzz of anticipation but there is plenty more to admire in the team, with Coutinho pulling the strings.

Brazil emerge as Group E winners, and face Mexico in the round of 16 in Samara on Monday, albeit with a few men down. They have never lost to the Mexicans in three World Cup meetings although they did draw 0-0 in the group stage at 2014. Their last game was almost three years ago, a friendly Brazil won, and this will be a daunting task for the Mexicans, habitually beaten in the second round.

Tite said that he would permit himself a caipirinha to celebrate victory and there is no doubting the pressure on him.

“It’s a big challenge,” he said, “this is just the 24th game I have been in charge of the team. That’s not a lot. There are a lot of famous players and you have to try to harmonise the team and get to know them all. It has been a challenge, I haven’t always been able to sleep.”

There will be a way to beat this Brazil team and no doubt that Juan Carlos Osorio is working on it already but the chances are that he is not counting on having more possession. It will be the counter-attack that Mexico will surely rely upon – although Serbia did not have the players to do it themselves.

Brazil always had a lot more of the ball on Wednesday night, even if in the early stages they found their opponents hard to break down. In the first half, Neymar executed a couple of nutmegs, burst into his impressive top speed a few times and rolled over so many times when he was challenged mid-flight by Adem Ljajic, that he almost went out for a corner.

In the middle Coutinho was more influential, clipping the pass over the top to find Paulinho’s run for the goal on 36 minutes – nudged past goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic who was painfully slow off his line. That was the decisive moment of the half – perhaps even the game – and Serbia lacked a cutting edge of the same quality of their own, without a shot or header on target before the break.

After the break, Serbia briefly raised the tempo and just a goal behind at that point they applied some pressure on Brazil which was a struggle at times for them to contain. Once again one felt that if there was a slightly better finisher available than the willing and robust Aleksandar Mitrovic then maybe it could have ended differently. He had a couple of headers before Brazil struck again and this time it was all over.

Thiago Silva’s goal was a bad one to concede and the Serbs were furious in the aftermath with claims of a foul as the corner was being taken, moments before the centre-half nodded it in. Neymar had won the corner with one of dashes in from the left and it was he who took it. Miranda, captain for this game, stepped in front of Mitrovic who was defending the front post and seemed to knock him over. Nikola Milenkovic lost concentration for a second, Silva ran in and powered a header past Stojkovic.

“The players gave their all,” said Serbia coach Mladen Krstajic “We have come to the World Cup to show our true colours after eight years of missing major tournaments. We can be very satisfied with the attitude of the Serbian players. They gave their maximum. But there were situations where we could have played better.”

He was referring to the 2-1 defeat to Switzerland who finished second in their group.

Brazil are hard to beat, especially when they get ahead, although the memories of what happens to them when they fall behind in World Cup knockout games are still strong.

Brazil are the real deal

FULL TIME

Brilliant from Brazil who really look the part. They played most of this in 3rd gear, if that, but Serbia put in a real effort and weren't cannon fodder. For me, Brazil are the best team in the tournament now.

71 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 2

How will Serbia react? They work their way past the Brazil press brilliantly but Kolarov's cross from the left is blocked. Brazil counter and Neymar is just stupidly good at this game. He's way too fast for the man chasing him, sets up Coutinho and he wins a corner.

64 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 1

Brazil are shaking here! Serbia have them and are finding space in the box! They pick their passes, Tadic nearly puts a cross over the goalkeeper, Tadic does well in the area and Milinkovic-Savic hits a shot wide.

62 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 1

Great ball! Alisson sees the danger way early and is 35 yards off his line to intercept a low ball curled around the BRazil defence. Mitrovic would have been onto it and clean in.

OH WHAT A MISS! The ball is whipped in from the right, Alisson dives and flaps at it pushing the ball into Mitrovic, but he can only head straight at the goalkeeper. That should have been a goal! Signs of encouragement for Serbia though.

60 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 1

58 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 1

Suddenly Brazil spring a counter-attack. Coutinho leads it from Willian's header, threads a ball into Neymar but it's a little wide and Neymar can't take it past the last man. He considers cutting back, the defender reads it and so Neymar shoots on his left foot and wins a corner.

54 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 1

Willian goes from 0 - 8000mph in an instant, beats Kolarov on the right and then smacks a low cross into the area. The centre-backs get it clear but even a wee touch from a striker would have turned that into a goal.

I've shouted "pass it" at my screen, out loud, about five times tonight, every single time when Neymar's on the ball. For what it's worth I think he's one of the best players in the world. Top three if not top five. But PASS THE DAMN BALL, son.

50 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 1

48 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 1

KICK OFF 2

The Neymar debate

"He's too powerful in Brazil, in PSG, he's bigger than the national team," says Slaven Bilic. Gary Neville reckons he's picked up bad habits as number one at PSG too. Well, he's back on the pitch and we're back underway.

What next?

Brazil are in control but Serbia will definitely step it up in the second half. The danger is Brazil's counter-attack but a goal down, Serbia simply don't have many options other than to really go for it.

Shots on goal

Team shapes

HALF TIME

There's time for Neymar to bend an effort at goal just over the far corner and that's that. Really entertaining game and one that, on balance, Brazil deserve to lead. Serbia aren't done yet though - they have a whole half to get back into it and if they do manage a win, as things stand Brazil would be out!

45 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 1

42 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 1

Neymar chases Rukavina back into his own half and wins a throw-in. Brazil pass around their own half and slow things down briefly before Neymar is fouled by Tadic and goes down clutching his jaw. Tadic had his hand on his shoulder.

35 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 0

34 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 0

Ljajic has completely wiped out Neymar by the touchline... or has he? It looks really soft and Neymar goes tumbling along the line like he's an egg on a hill. Ljajic is booked for the foul, rightly, but Neymar's dramatic fall didn't help.

28 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 0

26 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 0

GREAT SAVE! Neymar is so close to giving Brazil the lead as Jesus dribbles past two defenders inside the box and Neymar takes it on and fires an early shot from a tight angle. The goalkeeper reacts and pushes it away.

22 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 0

21 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 0

Brazil win a corner. Serbia defend it and can break. Kostic escapes, holds the ball and Serbia charge forward. But Matic has given it away under pressure... and Serbia show composure to keep their shape and win possession again.

18 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 0

16 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 0

Corner to Serbia! Ljajic has a pop at goal and gets a deflection, Alisson can't keep it in. Kolarov sends it in, Brazil don't deal with it well and Serbia have the ball again. It goes all the way back to their goalkeeper.

Mitrovic waits for a cross to reach him, doesn't jump and tries to chest it down instead (why?!). Miranda wins the header and Mitrovic goes down injured. Brazil break at high speed.

Miranda has given Mitrovic a kick into his private area, which explains why he went down. Owwwwww.

14 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 0

Marcelo hobbles down the tunnel, accompanied by two medical staff. Must be a muscle injury - he's limping. I think Ljajic has been told to stay tight to Casemiro when Brazil build from the back - it takes away a key part of their passing structure and so they're playing more direct passes further forward as a result and giving away possession easily.

10 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 0

This is weird. Marcelo has put the ball out of play and has stopped the play. "He's like he's ill, not injured..." says Lee Dixon. And Marcelo doesn't look particularly well to be fair. Felipe Luis getting ready to come on but it's not clear what's going. Is Marcelo OK?

Neymar is pulling off some lovely bits of skill here already. He dribbles past two and has players falling on their back trying to stop him.

8 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 0

Wow that is a heavy tackle. I can't see who but the defender has gone completely through Willian, intent on leaving the scenes with no prisoners. The referee plays on and Mitrovic has to chat with the referee because he's adjudged to have fouled Silva, even though Silva has used him as a pogo stick to win a header.

4 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 0

Kolarov puts his arm across Willian, Brazil win a free-kick. BRAZIL ARE IN! What is going on?! Another quick move, and Jesus has broken the offside trap! He's one on one with Stojkovic, he comes out and blocks the shot! Neymar then misses from four yards with the goalie beaten.

But it was offside. The linesman wisely opting not to put his flag up just in case.

2 mins - Serbia 0 Brazil 0

Neymar has a chance to run early on goes past one, passes to his left and Coutinho shoots! But the ball hits off Jesus. Brazil are looking to break quickly and that was a dangerous little move. Serbia have been warned!

Serbia stats

This awkward distance

Having done a few interviews like this, I can confirm that it is incredibly difficult to avoid nodding your head and smiling after asking any question. You know you're doing it but golly gosh it's impossible to stop. And this distance makes you hyper aware of what's going on too.

You're staring at each others' eyes, which is never really normal unless you're on a date. It's the same when anyone's doing it - if these two, or any other pundit were chatting outside of this 'on camera' situation, they wouldn't stand so close and stare at each other.

Tite pre-match words

I am not a calm guy. My essence is of a restless person. But I also have the conscience that the World Cup is also made of people, personal relations with the team and the staff, and we all need to be on good terms, feeling good about ourselves.

Lots of Brazil fans on their way to the stadium

Who's going to win?

What a day!

Incredible scenes today as Germany - the world champions - were beaten 2-0 by South Korea and have exited the competition in the group stages! Shocks do happen in this World Cup - could Brazil be next?

Serbia are a decent team and very physical - the exact type of side that Brazil have struggled against so far! Switzerland gave them a really good game and stopped Neymar from playing, while Costa Rica only conceded two while kicking a few of them.

It could be a long frustrating game today. If Switzerland beat Costa Rica - and you'd assume they will - then Serbia will qualify if they beat Brazil. It sounds far-fetched but having seen both sides in their previous games I'm not so sure that Brazil are going to enjoy themselves.

Mitrovic is a strength beast upfront for Serbia, there's creativity and steel in the midfield and the defence look solid, if not a little old. That's where Brazil will target. Expect Neymar and Willian to be joined by Marcelo and Danilo (or whoever starts at right-back) to attempt to overload Ivanovic and Kolarov. Switzerland couldn't do it and it's a risky tactic, but there are goals to be had by targeting a slow Ivanovic especially.

If Brazil and Serbia draw, Brazil are through. For that reason I'd expect a pragmatic approach from Tite, setting up a little more defensively than usual and waiting to hit Serbia on the counter-attack. They'll force the Serbia wingers inside to prevent crosses being sent in from wide areas because Mitrovic will win those battles and look to clear balls to the flanks and attack them at speed on the counter.

Neymar's going to absolutely hate the physical attention he gets here and seems nailed on to get a yellow card for dissent at some point.

Team news will be with us soon, at which point we can work out how this game might actually go!